Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, said yesterday that the government would support a private member's bill brought by the Labour backbencher Wayne David aimed at reducing the use of Slapps in the British courts.
The government said the lawsuits are often used by the very rich to stop the exposure of wrongdoing, with complicated legal cases aimed at financially exhausting defendants.
David's new measures would allow judges to dismiss spurious claims before they go to trial and protect defendants from exorbitant costs.
The Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (Slapps) bill also aims to remove the threat of intimidation by ensuring there is proper compensation for people who are subject to them.
The government has already brought in new legal protections in relation to economic crime, but David's bill would widen the scope to "protect freedom of expression for everyone".
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